“Suddenly it’s cool to be retro" - James Bond and Star Wars toys, Atari computer games and vinyl LPs set pulses racing for nostalgia buffs

Rob Hadley with his retro toys in Retro World, at Birmingham's Custard Factory

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The ghosts of Christmas presents past are alive and well – and glimmering in a corner of Birmingham’s Custard Factory.

The old favourites from the 70s and 80s are all there: Chopper bikes, space hoppers, Barbies, Action Men, slinkies...

But Rob Hadley, boss of nostalgia toyshop Retroworld, reckons he knows what will be the must-have gift for adults looking to recapture their childhood this Christmas. Transformers – cars, trucks and boats that can change with just a couple of twists into robots.

They have become highly collectable.

And Rob, from Solihull, is ready for the rush, with an army of Transformers on his shelves, ranging in price from £80 to £120.

At their popularity peak, in 1985, the sought-after toys could be snapped-up for £15.

Rob, who has opened the Aladdin’s Cave of childhood memories six months ago, said: “You have to have an eye on what is going to be collectable in the future, but you will always have your usual suspects.

To that end, the 46-year-old has a real ace up his sleeve for this festive stampede. He’s got his hands on a very rare Star Wars’ Millennium Falcon. The boxed, 1978 toy, made by Kenner, can be yours for a cool £120. “For it to be boxed and in very good condition is unusual,” he explained.

It’s not just the middle-aged who get a buzz from yesteryear’s presents.

Amstrad and Atari computer games – crude forerunners of today’s interactive gizmos – are being snapped-up and vinyl records are suddenly very much in vogue.

To cash-in on the craze for LPs and 45s, Rob recently added a vinyl section to his store, featuring over 10,000 records. “We’ve got The Stones, Beatles and lots of 80s stuff because that’s what I listened to.

“Suddenly it’s cool to be retro. Young people aged 16, 17 and 18 especially want the computer games. There’s a cool edge to playing vinyl singles and LPs, and old Nintendo video games.”

Rob bathes in nostalgia, but draws a line at the positively historic. “I’m only interested in the toys that interest me. The ‘tin toys’ days don’t interest me.”

TOP 12 TOYS FOR 2012:

Old classics have also made their way on to the Toy Retailers’ Association’s Top 12 Christmas gifts.

Every year the organisation predicts the top-selling toys.

Association Chairman Gary Grant said: “Cabbage Patch Kids, Spiderman, Twister and Lego are toys many adults have fond memories of and they’re still loved just as much by children today.”